SEASON PASS-WORTHY? ANDY BARKER, P.I. & THE RICHES

Are you watching The Riches? It’s a strange and funny series about a family of Travellers (similar to gypsies) who pretend to live above their means by utilizing whatever methods are neccessary: lying, acting, squatting houses, etc. Minnie Driver plays white trash much better than I expected, and this role is a perfect foray onto the small screen. I haven’t decided if I’m committed to the entire season yet, but I will stick around for the time being.

Kudos to FX for now offering some of the most innovative and original programming outside of HBO and Showtime, from Rescue Me to Dirt to The Riches. These shows break and explore more boundaries far more than most series on traditional networks, so grab your remote and set this channel as one of your favorites. You won’t be disappointed.

On to the next new show…

“Ellen!”

Remember that high-pitched shout out on Ellen? It certainly didn’t belong to Ellen DeGeneres, nor was Joely Fischer responsible for it. That yelp came from none other than Ellen’s friend Audrey, played by Clea Lewis.

Well, Lewis is back. And thankfully, that voice has changed. It might have even come down a decibel or two. She’s now appearing on Andy Barker, P.I. as Andy Richter’s wife.

I have watched the first 6 episodes online, and they were entertaining enough to earn a Season Pass. The comedy is subtle and the supporting cast is excellent. The show highlights the misadventures of Richter, an accountant who dabbles in the private investigator business with a surprising level of success.

Although I’m still mourning Arrested Development, it is really nice to see Tony Hale (a.k.a Buster Bluth) again on a regular basis.

And character actor Harve Presnell, who I’ll always think of as the curmudgeonly Wade Gustafson from Fargo, plays crabby just about better than anybody on television.

So give Andy Barker, P.I. a shot. It is currently in NBC’s Thursday night lineup, but who knows where it might wind up. You can still watch the first six episodes for free online right now: http://www.nbc.com/Andy_Barker_PI/.